The JurongHealth Campus-NCIS Cancer Service specialises in the treatment of cancers such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer and more.
Cancer is a group of diseases caused by the growth of abnormal cells. Our bodies are composed of millions of tiny structures called cells. Normal cells reproduce themselves by dividing in a regular, controlled manner so that growth and repair of the body tissues can take place. However, this cell division can also produce abnormal cells which grow and multiply uncontrollably. When these cells invade and spread to other parts of the body, they are called cancer cells.
According to the Ministry of Health, cancer is the number one killer in Singapore. One in three Singaporeans dies of cancer.
Colorectal Cancer and
breast cancer are the most prevalent cancers for men and women respectively.
In an effort to improve clinical outcomes for cancer, JurongHealth Campus and the National University Cancer Institute of Singapore (NCIS) of the National University Health System (NUHS) formed the Western Cancer Action Network (WCAN). WCAN seeks to provide a comprehensive and integrated cancer care service from prevention and screening, diagnosis and treatment to survivorship as well as palliative and hospice care for the community in the west.
The JurongHealth Campus-NCIS Cancer Service at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) specialises in the following types of cancers:
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer occurs in the tissues present in the breast.
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Gastrointestinal cancer refers to cancer of the organs of the digestive system, including the
oesophagus, gall bladder, liver, pancreas,
stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon) and rectum.
Head and Neck Cancers
Head and neck cancers refer to cancers that occur in the lip, oral cavity (mouth), nasal cavity (hollow space inside the nose), paranasal sinuses (a group of air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity, above the eyes, between the eyes and behind the ethmoids), pharynx (throat), and larynx (voice box).
Urological Cancers
Urologic cancers include cancers of the bladder,
kidney, prostate and testicles.
Treatment of cancer may involve one or more types of treatment, such as surgery and/or chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The JurongHealth Campus-NCIS Cancer Service provides the following treatments and services.
Surgical Oncology
Surgical oncology is the use of surgery in the identification of cancers (biopsies) and the removal of both benign and malignant tumours.
Medical Oncology
Medical oncology refers to the use of both cytotoxic and hormonal drugs in the treatment of cancer, that is, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy.
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to control the growth and/or prevent the spread of cancer cells, and may be administered in the form of oral medication and/or intravenously. Meanwhile, hormonal therapy uses hormones to slow and/or prevent the growth of cancer cells.
Radiation Oncology
Radiation oncology uses high-energy radiation treatment for cancer. Radiation can be used curatively or for the reduction of cancer pain in the management of cancer. The JurongHealth Campus-NCIS Cancer Service provides a comprehensive range of radiation therapy services in collaboration with NCIS for routine and advanced radiation therapy treatment, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) at NTFGH.
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